The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
Save the Youth.

The supreme demand and work Of the
present day, says the Rev. L. F. Bicford in
the Pioneer, is to save the yonth. Why let
them grow up in dissipation, to ruin them
selves and cast blight over the lives OF pa
rents and friends, and bet ONE disgrace to
the community, Why suffer them to become
confirmed in evil habits, bound by the strong
chain of appetite, and then, with agony and
tears, and prayers try to rescue them, while
the open saloon, unchecked, is continuing its
deadly and ruinous work, and spreading Its
fiery devastations all over the land!
The youth must be taught reverence and
respect for morals and religion. They must
learn that these are their true safeguards, and
that it is noble thing to stand on the side OF
morality and religion against all forms OF
vice and evil. We must teach them the same
with reference to the home; that home is
sacred citadel, ever to be guarded from the
foul touch Of that ruthless destroyer, the
liquor traffic
1fa man cannot protect his home, his name,
his character, his children from de6lement,
temptation and vice, then public sentiment is
at a low ebb, and law and government are
meaningless things.
Public sentiment depends upon the kind Of
teachers it has. Government depends upon
the kinds of hands it falls into. If we would
have these become what they should be, we
must see to it that the youth maintain high
respect for virtue morality, religion and law.
If we would save the youth, we must not
only rescue and protect them, but we must
root out the cause Of their ruin And the
majesty of law and the power Of Govern
ment must be invoked to do this. Law must
be respected and obeyed. A nation Of law
breaker5 would be the greatest way.mark OF
sin and folly ever set upon the pathway OF
nations, as they march on to their destiny.
nd of fa
nizance Of the moral welfare Of the COM
manity is the right of the people, and when
they speak demanding certain enactments it
should mean something. When they express
their wish for the enactment Of certain laws
to protect that which is dearest to them
their homes, their sons, and the holy Sab
bath-these laws must be made to mean
everything they say. And the liquor power,
mighty as it is in money and influence, must
not be permitted to stay the execution nor
continue violator of the law. The fact is,
even under the present imperfectlaws against
liauor-selling, more than half the liquor
traffic is in violation of law. 1t is the great
law breaker of the land, the outlaw Of out
laws. Let the people make 1t a complete out
law, and make it feel that it is amendable to
law, and it will have to bow to the will of the
people.
The only remedy by which to save the
yOuCn, 10 save tne noHie, w save 0he naCion'
is complete and uncompromislng constitu-
tional Prohibition Of the liquor traffic. As
Christians we recognize that our religion
teaches US to be true to the highest interests
of our fellow-men both in their private and
National capacity. There is before us to be
wrought out the greatest triumph Of our
Christian civilization, and we must keep it a
Christian civilization. I mean the triumph
of the people over the Misunderstanding, home
youth-ruining, thanksgiving,
and this Christian nineteenth
century of light shall not close until it be
done